European Nations Form Continental Confederation

Widlak, Okturen, Baker
Named First Leaders

by Mawuli Viwotor

Dublin, Ireland - A new continental federation has been added to the Amputee Football World following the formation of the European Amputee Football Federation (EAFF) at a colorful ceremony in Dublin, Ireland.

The organizing congress was attended by delegates from England, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Poland, Russia, Spain, Turkey, and Ukraine. Georgia, Belgium and the Netherlands are expected to join the EAFF in the near future.

FAI President John Delaney encouraged the 1st EAFF Congress in their efforts as they cfreated the new amputee football Confederation.

Representatives from the Football Association of Ireland (the FAI) and from the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) also added their presence to the Congress. Reports from Dublin say that UEFA has pledged €50K per season for EAFF projects including grassroots development.

The Federation approved its Constitution and held held elections choosing officers to lead the body for the next term of four years.

Mateusz Widlak of Poland was elected the President of the Federation, whilst Tufan Okturen of Turkey was picked for the position of Vice President. Simon Baker of Ireland was elected as the Secretary General.

The new Confederation is authorized by WAFF Statute Article 4.15 which stipulates that, "National Associations affiliated with WAFF and geographically situated on the same continent may form confederations which shall be subject to recognition by WAFF."

The next step for the new confederation is to officially register the organization as a legal federation, then to apply to the WAFF for official reciognition.

Founder Don Bennett
Promotes Amputee Football
in Southeast Asia

Mr. Don Bennett, creator of amputee football, is currently promoting our sport in southeast Asia. He is shown here with the head coach of the Vietnamese Disabled Sports Association at a meeting in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

El Salvador Names New Leadership

Sr. Jorge Garcia, El Salvador's new Delegate to the WAFF.

A new slate of Officers has been named in the El Salvadorean Amputee Football Associaiton. The new leaders are:

Russia 3 - Angola 1 for the Gold!
Turkey Beats Poland 1 - 0 for Third

It was a tournament of high elation and crushing disappointment - as expected. It was the largest World Cup in the history of the game.

The tournament included two Cinderella teams, who came out of seemingly nowhere to advance far deeper into the tournament than anyone expected. Anyone but themselves, that is. And the tournament included the first woman to participate in World Cup play since 1986.

And it was a tournament where decades-long rivals walked off the field together.

But in the end, there can be only one.

And for World Cup 2014, Culiacan, Mexico, that one was the outstanding team from Russia.

The Final - Russia v. Angola

Angola was a Cinderella team. Coming in as unranked, Angola clawed its way into the final with solid play throughout the tournament and a semi-final win over third-ranked Turkey. In the final they faced second-ranked Russia with confidence, skill and will.

In the early minutes of the final, the young Angola team pressed hard, testing the defense of the veteran Russian team with long distance shots by striker Antonio Sabino.

But Russia, who won the 2012 World Cup Silver Medal in 2012,

Russia celebrates another World Cup Championship. Photo courtesy of Noroesre.com

opened the scoring with a clean goal by Igor Zihlin at the 23rd minute.

In the second half Angola again came out hard. Just four minutes into the period Angola's Jose Candiero, drilled a shot into the back of the net to tie the match at 1 each - much to the delight of the standing room only crowd at Culiacan University Stadium.

Angola played with confidence and skill, but in the end, the Russian team, many of whom had been playing together for 10-15

years, proved too much for the young team.

Alezander Kozak scored at the 44 minute mark, then
Igor Zihlin closed the door on the Angolans for good with his second goal of the match at the 49 minute mark.

Zihlin would ultimately become the tournament's high scorer and the World Cup's Most Valuable Player.

More World Cup stories and images in the very near future.

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